Old Faces, New People
by Immortalli
Summary: Jonas is happy in the Village, now restored to its former glory thanks to the tremendous sacrifice Matty gave. But what happens when Jonas sees a familiar face, and his past comes back to haunt him?
1. Prologue

**A/N:** So, this is my first Giver series fanfic. I need a beta reader, so if anyone would like the job, please let me know. Also, I know that this chapter is very short, but that's just because it's the prologue. The others will be longer, I promise.

**Disclaimer: **So, you think I own the Giver, do you? Well your and idiot, then, 'cause I don't even own the period on page 54. Deal with that fact and life will treat you better.

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Leader walked through the Village, happily watching the people go through their everyday life. _Reap what you sow. _He thought to the farmer plowing his fields while his daughter walked behind him, scattering the seeds. _Train him well, _was sent to the young girl trying to get her new puppy to obey. _Treasure each other. _That message was meant for the blind man, Seer, and his daughter, Threader. His eyes rested on a small grave, with the word Healer inscribed into the tombstone. _We miss you. You are not forgotten. _Sadness flooded him as he thought of the small, rambunctious boy who used to run through the streets with his friends. He looked from the grave up to the sky, lost in memories. So lost, in fact that he did not notice the barge that came to deliver its monthly load of books, even though the captain waved at him. Nor did he notice the young woman with dark hair and eyes who stepped off, a stranger to the Village.

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**A/N: **So, despite the fact that that was so short you're probably just getting over my first Author Note, please, tell me what you think. And remember, I need a beta. Review, or I shall sic Izzy on you! No, seriously, review. Just press the nice shiny purple button. Do it. You're not doing it! Why are you not reveiwing? Reveiw review reveiw! You're STILL not reveiwing! What's the matter with you? Don't you get by now what I'm going to be saying for the rest of the time? Reveiw! REVEIW!! Chocolate tastes good. Reveiwreveiwreveiwreveiwreveiwreveiw!!!!! Ok, I'll be going for now. REVEIW! 


	2. Meetings

**A/N: **Soooo, here's my new chappie!!! Thanks to my all of one reveiwer, and you evil 39 some-odd people who read and DIDN'T reveiw, although I know it is kind of hard to reveiw a paragraph. But now you've got no choice!! Muahaha! This one's long enough to reveiw! Muahahahahaha!!! Beware!!

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The girl who looked to be in her late teens walked through the streets, unsure of who to talk to. The captain of the barge had said to look for the one called "Leader," but so far she hadn't met any one who looked like a leader to her. She was confused and felt slightly frightened. Oh, it wasn't that they were mean. On the contrary, everyone seemed to want to help her. But she felt so alone that she was completely unable to mutter three little words. She wore a simple dress, something she had picked up on her journey. She had not expected it to be so long, but it had turned out that the famous Village was very far indeed from her home.

She looked around, waving back at those who greeted her. This place was so different from her home! People seemed happy all of the time. Not the hollow, we-don't-know-any-better happiness that thrived where she came from, but true, free happiness that came simply from being alive. It was true that her home place was changing. She now occasionally heard pure laughter, a thing that was abundant here, and people did seem to treasure each other more, but it had been a hard transition, and many people were still struggling with it.

She saw no struggling here. Even those that were crippled or lacking limbs, people who would have immediately been killed in her town, were gladly and willingly helped. She stopped under the shade of one stall, trying to quell the nervousness that gripped her stomach. She looked around, completely mesmerized. "Can I help you?" asked the girl who ran the stall. The young woman whirled around, having been unaware that anyone was behind her. "Oh! Um, well, I'm looking for…"

"Oh! You're a new one, aren't you? I think Seer's on the welcoming team this week. I'm sure he can help you." The girl gave her directions and turned back to her work.

The teenaged girl walked along the path the stall keeper had pointed out. The keeper had seemed young, probably only a year or two into her job. She smiled. How often she forgot things here were not like her home! She had no way of knowing how long the girl had been working there. Probably it was a family business.

She reached a dwelling. She knocked on the door, all the nervousness returning full strength. What if this man, "Seer", thought she was stupid for not knowing who Leader was? Surely he usually greeted newcomers. What if he sent her away? What if… Her thoughts were cut off by the door opening. "Hello?"

"H-hello. I was told to come to the one they call Seer?"

"Ah, you are a new one. I see. Yes, I am Seer." She looked at his face and gasped, seeing the scars that covered his eyes. "Why… how did you…"

"Why am I called Seer if I am blind? How did I know you were new if I could not see you?" he said, finishing her unfinished questions. "I am called Seer because though I lack eyesight, I still see things that many people miss. And I knew you were new because I have not heard your voice before. Also, you have the fear that new ones often have."

She swallowed hard and looked down, embarrassed that he could see through her so easily. "It's alright. No need to feel embarrassed. Now, what is it that you need?"

"I-I'm looking for the one called Leader?"

"Ah, yes. You do need to talk to him if you are planning on taking up residence in our village. I assume you are?" She nodded, then added quickly, "Yes."

"Very well. I will introduce you to him tomorrow. It is too late now, and no doubt you are weary from your journey. You may stay here for the night. Kira!" This last was not directed at her. Another girl, closer to her age, came to the door. "Yes, father?"

"We have a visitor. Please set the table for another and prepare the guest room."

"Yes, father." She said, giving the new one a smile as she left to prepare.

After a dinner of fish, bread, and salad, Kira showed the young woman to her room. "Here's where you'll be staying, at least until you get a house." The girl sat on the bed. "Thank you, Kira."

"You might want to call me Threader. Most people here do. Only my father still calls me by my old name."

"Oh. Well then, thank you, Threader."

"Why did you come to Village in the first place? It's alright if you don't want to tell, many who have come here don't like to speak of their pasts."

"No, it's alright. I was not escaping the place I came from, if that's what you're asking. I came here because I'm looking for someone. I'm not sure he's here, but there are so many people here, from all over. I'm sure that if he's not here, then someone comes from where he is now."

"I bet so. Well, get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll take you to see Leader. If anyone can help you, he can." The girl got in the bed. Threader walked over to the door. As she left, she blew out the lamp, plunging the room into darkness.

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**A/N: **So, how was it? Personally, I think it was pretty dang good! So, reveiw now. Do it now, do it now, do it now! Or feel my squirrely wrath!!!! We do have squirrely wrath, you know. It's one of those "hidden nature" things. Seriously, reveiw! Reeeveiw-eiw-eiw-eiw. PRESS THE STUPID SHINY PURPLE BUTTON, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!

**Cookie-toting Penguins for Reveiwer**

RML: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! You get Mumble, just for being my first reveiwer!! huggles you I luff you so much! And patience, patience. All will be revealed in time.


	3. Surprise

**A/N: **I'm so, so, so sorry it took so long for me to update. I luff all of you who reviewed, and those of you who didn't, shame on you! I got a little lazy, and so I finally sat down and wrote this chapter out. It answers a few of your questions, and gives you one, too. This story is starting to take a turn that I really didn't expect, so now I'm just going to go along with it. I hope you enjoy it! Have fun reading!

**Disclaimer: **What if I do own it? Huh? What are you gonna do about it? (gasp) Oh my gosh! Lawyers! FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY EVIL MIND, I SUMMON IZZY!!

Izzy: What do you want?

Me: Izzy lawyers! (points at lawyers) Sic 'em!

Izzy: What am I, a dog?

Me: Pleeaase?

Izzy: If you give me a flamethrower and let me back into those character thearapy chat rooms.

Me: No flamethrower, but I'll let you back into the chat rooms.

Izzy: Deal.

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**Chapter 2: Surprise**

The girl woke, sitting in the bed and rubbing her eyes. She stretched and stared at the warm sunshine streaming in through the window. She stood, brushing the wrinkles out of her clothes. She didn't like sleeping in the same clothes for more than one day, but she didn't have much choice. Maybe she could work for some, after she'd found the person she was looking for.

She walked to the door and slowly pushed it open, peering out into the main room. Seer was already up, tuning a guitar. "Hello." He said. "There is breakfast on the stove, if you want any." She nodded, then remembered again that he couldn't see her.

"Thank you." She said, and went into the kitchen. There was an iron pan with scrambled eggs. She looked in the cupboards until she found a plate and fork and scooped some onto the plate and carried it back into the main room.

"After you are finished, my daughter Kira will take you to Leader. He will be able to help you, I'm sure."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"You are most welcome." She finished her meal in silence, listening to him coax beautiful sounds from the stringed instrument. Eventually Threader came into the room.

"I was working in the garden. I'll be ready in a moment." She went into the bathroom. A little longer than a 'moment' later she came out, looking much better than she did before. "Ok, I'm ready. Let's go."

They walked through the town, headed for the tallest building. They got to the door. "Ok, he should be here. I'll knock." said Threader, smoothing her hair and dress. She raised her hand and knocked on the door. No one answered. They stood for a few more minutes, but still no one answered. "I guess he's not here right now." she said, looking slightly disappointed. She then brightened. "Would you like a tour of our town?"

"Yes, I'd like that very much." said the young woman. They walked through the town, Threader pointing out some of the places. "That's our schoolhouse. All of the children have to go there to learn to read and write and count." The woman nodded.

"We had a place like that at my home place, too."

"And that's Mentor's house. He's the one who teaches at the schoolhouse. See, there he is, right by the school."

"Why do all of you have… strange names?" Threader laughed.

"Leader gives us our names. They tell our profession as well as our personality."

"Oh. I understand."

"If you want to stay here, he will give you a name, too."

"I just might do that." In front of the schoolhouse Mentor had just caught a young boy with blonde hair and blue eyes by the arm and was gently chastising him. Threader smiled.

"That's Gabe. He came with Leader when he was just a baby. He's a big ball of mischief."

"Did… did you say Gabe?"

"Yes."

"Is that short for… Gabriel?"

"Yes."

"That's funny. I used to know someone by that name."

"Well, it's sort of common."

"Yes, it's a little common. I've met a few others on my journey here."

"And that's our meeting place. It used to be our Trade Mart, but we've stopped having that." They walked a little further until they came to a small collection of graves. "This is our cemetery." She knelt and stroked one gravestone that bore the inscription, 'Healer'. "This is a young boy named Matty. I knew him well. He died saving the Village from its self. I miss him very much." She stopped, her voice choking up. The young woman put a hand on her shoulder.

"I, too, lost someone I love very much. And I'm afraid I might soon lose another." Threader stood.

"Let's move on." They walked down to the creek. "This is where most people fish and our children play. Up further ahead is where the barges come in, delivering food, clothes, books, and other things." As they drew closer, some of the figures became more distinct. "Oh, there's Leader, right over there! He's leaving, I guess he'd come to check if anymore books had come in. Maybe we can catch him." Threader led ahead, her stick hitting the ground faster now, dragging her leg behind her. The young woman followed hesitantly.

Leader had a head start, so they did not catch him until he was almost at his homeplace. The young woman walked slightly faster now, almost in a daze, but still passing Threader. It had been a long, long time. In fact, it had been almost nine years. But she was almost positive she knew the set of those shoulders, the way his head constantly turned almost imperceptibly in every direction, as if he was looking at everything, making sure he didn't miss anything. That precise way of walking, that even nine years of being gone couldn't wipe away.

"Leader!" called Threader. "Leader, there's someone here to see you!"

He turned and began walking towards them, and she instantly knew it was him. It didn't matter that the last time she'd seen him she was eight, or that he had been twelve, she knew that face. She knew those deep, blue eyes, though she'd never seen them in their full glory before.

"Jonas?" He stopped and stared, shock at hearing his old name written across his face. Then, slowly, comprehension dawned across his features, and an even greater shock came over him. It looked to passerby as if he'd seen a ghost. But present too in his visage was a longing, as if he desperately wanted whatever he thought to be true. He spoke only one word, but it was enough to assure her that he still remembered everything, that he still cared. If he didn't care, there was no way he would have had this reaction and remember this.

"Lily?"

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**A/N: **So, how'd you like it? Izzy took care of the lawyers.

Izzy: I just set them up against her school's debate team. If you're battling people with no souls, it's best to set them up against people with no souls. The debaters started yelling squirrel cases (I swear, those are real things!) at them, and they ran for cover. Then I distracted the debaters with a deck of playing cards. They're still over there, playing Presidents.

Me: Sooo, review! NOW! R-E-V-I-E-W, find out what it means to me-ew, R-E-V-I-E-W, doo do doo do do do do, just a little bit, just a little bit... Please?

**Cookie-toting Penguins for Reviewers!!**

ano-nimmus: Thankees! Here's another to add to your collection. And I put a cliffie in here, too, if you can spot it. I'll give you a special cake-toting Penguin if you can.

Hahligirl56: I strongly suggest reading the rest. Most of this won't make sense unless you do.

dragonrider713: Yes, yes I am. Your wait is over.

xXChristineXx: Well now you know the answer to both of those, don't you?

LaBellaBella: I guess the answer is, sorta. There's definitely a crush in there. And thanks for not rushing me, though I think yours guilted me into writing another chapter. I hope you enjoy!


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